Small Miracles
by Aria6
Summary: A short story about Arjuna's feelings for Karna, mostly... also a terribly cute chibi Karna. :) I don't want to go into more details than that. Enjoy! Now a two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

Arjuna panted softly, hand held against his side as he huddled in the corner of the abandoned storeroom.

 _If I can just stop moving and rest, I will live,_ Arjuna thought, closing his eyes and swallowing as he evaluated his own condition. It was bad, he had internal injuries from being punched through a wall and countless lacerations from little spears. Bones were broken and he breathed shallowly, trying not to disturb his ribs. If he had still been mortal this accumulation of injuries might have been fatal but as a Servant, Arjuna was more durable. _I need to hide._ Was it cowardly? Yes, but there was no point in thinking he could help further. And had he not done enough against his insane brother?

 _That is unfair,_ Arjuna reminded himself as he began relaxing. This storeroom was abandoned and the boxes hid him well. He could rest. _Karna didn't ask for this._ Quite the opposite. A Divine Heroic Spirit had somehow invaded Chaldea and picked Karna, claiming he needed to learn more about himself. Arjuna thought that verged on lunacy – Karna of all people! – but they'd had no time to protest before all hell broke loose.

Arjuna rested his head back, breathing deeply and feeling the gentle tug of sleep. It would be so nice to take a nap. It would be so… nice…

A soft shuffle reached him and Arjuna's eyes opened wide. Then he felt a warm pressure on his chest and looked down into bright blue eyes.

"…" Arjuna stared at one of the little creatures the Divine Heroic Spirit had unleashed. Much like the tiny Nobu creatures, they were little Karna's. They ranged in size from absolutely huge – that was the one that had punched him – down to very small, small enough to fit into two hands. This was one of the small ones.

"Juna," it said and Arjuna blinked as it reached out to him. This one… had no weapon. Most of the little ones had tiny copies of Karna's golden lance and had attempted to swarm him. Cupping the little thing in his hands, Arjuna examined it. It was a 'chibi', like the Nobu's, and white hair flopped adorably over one eye while the other looked at him with solemn concern. "Juna 'kay?" …Was it asking him if he was okay?

"Why aren't you attacking me like the others?" Arjuna murmured, bringing the chibi to his face. It blinked at him with a solemn air. Then it reached out to gently touch his cheek.

"Juna?" The soft questioning tone and the gentle way it patted his cheek suddenly made a surge of emotions rise up in his chest. Arjuna's breath caught in a stifled sob and he cuddled the little thing to his chest. It was… soft… and very warm, nestling up against him easily.

"I'm sorry," Arjuna murmured, knowing he was almost talking to himself. This little piece of his brother couldn't begin to understand. But that was good, he could never have said this to the real Karna. "I'm sorry for what I did to you." Perhaps it was the exhaustion, the pain or just the emotion of the moment. But a few tears slipped down his face, landing in white hair. "I just didn't know," Arjuna murmured, stroking that hair and feeling the tiny head under his palm. Karna was so very warm. "I didn't know who you were, so I never knew you." His hated rival, best friend to his hated cousin, the man whose very existence had seemed like an intolerable insult for his superior skills… Arjuna had never known him, not really. "If I had only known…" If he'd known Karna was his brother it would all have been different. An older brother could be better, SHOULD be better. Arjuna could have been… proud for his brother's skill, not wanting to… erase him…

"Juna!" Arjuna looked down into a concerned little face, a single bright blue eye. "Juna. 'M S'ry." Arjuna blinked as a little hand reached up for him. "'Kay?"

"You're sorry too?" Arjuna murmured, freeing one hand and offering the chibi a finger to hold. It gripped him with surprising strength. "That's… better then…" Ah, he was so tired now, so very tired. He would just close his eyes for a moment. Yes, just a moment.

* * *

"Oh, what an absolute disaster!" Ritsuka murmured as her Servants continued to work cleaning up the debris. Karna was standing beside her, looking completely at ease. He'd been unconscious for most of the event, only rousing when a certain amount of his stray – components – were defeated. "Karna, do we have all of them yet?" Karna shook his head.

"No, there is still something missing," he reported, as he had the past three times. Some of the chibis were extremely elusive and they were gradually hunting them down. Fortunately, the elusive ones were also harmless. The last one they'd found had been hiding in the kitchen, doing its' best to eat everything sweet. They'd caught it hanging out of the cookie jar, little legs kicking. Ritsuka sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"So annoying! Well, let's see if we can find Arjuna." Ritsuka wasn't too worried about the Archer. Her connection to him was strong, indicating he was in good health. But no one had seen him since the middle of the battle and that was worrisome. Ritsuka knew Arjuna had taken heavy injuries in that melee. Karna nodded silently, following her with tiny tinks from his armored feet and lance.

Ritsuka used her connection to Arjuna to help find him, but it was an imprecise and laborious process. She also called for him, many times, but he did not respond. Finally, though, she opened a door to an old, disused storeroom.

"Arjuna?" Ritsuka called before stepping inside. "I think he's here?" she murmured and Karna purposefully began to search the storeroom, taking it logically and starting on one side, moving through the racks of boxes. It took him no time at all, though, to find what he wanted. Karna stopped and stared, hearing Ritsuka gasp softly behind him as they both beheld what was in front of them.

Arjuna was sitting in the corner of the room, his head down and his body partially inclined. His eyes were closed and he was sleeping deeply, his chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm. On his chest was a curled up chibi Karna, eyes closed and a little bubble coming out of it's nose. Arjuna had a hand loosely around it.

"Ohmigod they are so adorable," Ritsuka murmured as Karna stepped forward. He reached down and gently scruffed the chibi, lifting it up. Arjuna's hand fell limply away and the chibi yawned before opening its' eyes. It locked gazes with Karna for a moment before vanishing, reclaimed by the greater whole. Karna looked at his empty hand, a small frown gracing his features. Something was ever so slightly different. "Karna, was that the last one?"

"Yes. I am complete," Karna said slowly, feeling the truth of that in his bones. Yet that one had been… different somehow. But he kept that to himself. "…" Karna knelt by Arjuna and gently gripped his shoulder. The Archer did not so much as stir. "He is exhausted. I will carry him to the infirmary," Karna said before very carefully sliding his arms beneath Arjuna. His younger brother did not waken as he was lifted, his dark head settling against Karna's shoulder. Ritsuka lifted her hands, hovering them over him.

"Oh, he's been regenerating but he's still so hurt! Yes, let's get him to the infirmary," she said and Karna nodded. They left the storeroom and Karna felt slightly troubled.

He couldn't remember what had happened to any of his smaller forms yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that something important had occurred.


	2. Chapter 2

Karna sat on a ledge on the outside of Chaldeas, watching the sun rise. The air was bitterly cold, nipping at his skin but Karna easily warmed himself. In fact, he found the contrast between himself and the ice-cold air rather pleasant, like the taste of salty and sweet.

 _Salty and sweet._ Karna's hand slowly moved, dipping into a tiny hidden spot in his jumpsuit. He pulled out a cookie, filched from the cookie jar just this morning. It was one of Emiya's best creations, a sweet and salty confection studded with macadamia nuts. Karna gently warmed it in his palm until the white chocolate was gooey before biting into it. _Surely this is Heaven._

Karna wanted to fully enjoy his cookie but found he could not. His mind kept going to that odd difference in himself. It had something to do with the last fragment he had absorbed, the one with Arjuna. But why would that be so? What did the Divine Spirit who looked so oddly familiar want him to learn about himself?

Karna heard the crunch of snow under a foot and glanced over. Somehow, he wasn't surprised to see Arjuna. The Archer had healed quickly and well from his injuries. Karna felt an odd tightness in his chest. Those wounds had been caused by him. Yes, he hadn't been in his right mind but the fact that so many facets of himself had turned on Arjuna indicated the animosity was still alive. Or, perhaps, those parts of himself had just been memories of hatred…

"May I join you?" Arjuna asked politely and Karna shook himself out of his reverie.

"If you wish," Karna responded, equally polite. Arjuna took a seat on the snow covered ledge beside him, gazing out over the sunrise. It was beautiful, becoming brighter and brighter, illuminating Chaldea with a pure light. "Would you like a cookie?" Karna had been unable to resist taking a few this morning, despite knowing that his chibi-self had demolished far more than his share. He simply loved these cookies.

"Mmm… I've never tried them." He hadn't? Why not? "If you wish." Karna did wish, very much, to show Arjuna the joy that was Emiya's salty sweet macadamia nut cookies. Karna pulled out another cookie – he always kept a few in his jumpsuit and no one seemed to notice, it was perhaps magic – and gently warmed it in his palm before giving it to Arjuna. He just gazed at the morsel for a moment before taking a bite then stopping in surprise. "You warmed it?"

"They are better warm, with the chocolate melting," Karna said softly and Arjuna looked at him for a moment, seeming to be troubled. Then he went back to the cookie, eating it slowly as he gazed over the snow covered mountains.

"…It's good," Arjuna murmured and Karna just waited. Words were such a hard thing but he was sure Arjuna would eventually get to the point. "Did you learn something about yourself?" …Ah. Karna gazed over the snow covered vista, his mind going to the disaster. He couldn't remember most of the things his chibis had done. However, as he glanced at Arjuna, eating his cookie, a vague recollection intruded on his mind.

"Why were you crying?" Karna asked without thought and saw Arjuna stiffen sharply.

"You _remember,_ " his brother said and Karna blinked at the harshness of his voice. He quickly hastened to reassure Arjuna.

"I do not. I only remember that you were crying and I was sorry. I do not recall the words," Karna said and Arjuna stared at him, assessing the truth of his words. Karna met his gaze evenly and Arjuna finally looked away.

"What does it matter?" Arjuna muttered and Karna frowned. He felt it did matter, very much. In fact, Arjuna's tears were at the core of what the Divine Spirit had wanted him to learn. "Why would you care?"

"I do care. My little brother should not cry," Karna said, feeling his way to the truth. Words were so difficult. Could he truly communicate like this? Yet, he could not simply step into Arjuna's mind and impart his feelings. Words were all he had. "In the course of my life, I hated you many times," he said and Arjuna's head snapped towards him. "When we were young, my hatred was intense." Karna had loathed Arjuna for so many reasons. The arrogant princeling who seemed so determined to deny him even the right to exist. "When my son died, I swore vengeance upon you." Arjuna flinched a little at that and Karna knew why. Arjuna hadn't meant to kill a child, his arrow had simply gone astray. "But over time, those feelings died," Karna said softly, meeting dark eyes. "You became nothing but an obstacle to me, something I knew I needed to overcome for the sake of Duryodhana." Arjuna's lips tightened and Karna felt a flicker of amusement. Arjuna did not like that his enemy no longer considered him important?

"None of this is new. What did you learn?" Arjuna's voice was rough and Karna sighed to himself. This was so difficult!

"I am trying to explain… I carry no regrets for my choices. When I gave Indra my armor I knew it would kill me, but there was no other choice," Karna said briefly and Arjuna frowned, still looking at him. "When I spurned Kunti's words I knew the path my feet were set on, but there was no other choice." Walk away from Duryodhana, his best friend, the man he'd held so dear? Had Kunti ever imagined Karna could? "I foresaw the consequences of my actions. I knew I would die, leaving Duryodhana bereft. I knew Vrushali would likely follow me." Karna had urged her not to but he'd known she likely would not listen. And ultimately, that had been her choice. "What I have learned is that I carry regrets, not for my actions or the consequences I foresaw, but the ones I did NOT foresee." Karna had to look away then. He gazed over Chaldea again, resting his elbows on his knees. He barely saw the snow covered peaks, his mental gaze turned inward. He'd read the Mahabharata after he arrived in Chaldea, curious to see what had occurred after his death. Karna had thought nothing of it at the time but now he understood.

"I did not foresee the harm that would be caused to you," Karna said softly. That had truly caught him by surprise. "Or all of our brothers." It still seemed very odd to him. Perhaps because his family had been so different, it was hard for him to understand that his 'brothers' would be so hurt by the revelation and in Arjuna's case, so weighted down by it. "I would not have wanted you to be burdened by my death. I regret this." It was strange. Karna knew he could not have, would not have changed a single thing. And yet, he still regretted this one aspect of the outcome. Arjuna started to shake and Karna looked at him in alarm.

"You… you dare…" Arjuna laughed, a harsh, brutal sound. He put a hand over his face, hiding his eyes. "You dare to pity me? You of all people – I cannot bear you, puta-sutra - you – " Karna stopped listening to the words. It would be too easy to be wounded by them because he knew Arjuna meant every bit of the venom spewing from his mouth. Yet, he still remembered his brother crying. He remembered being held against his chest. And actions were a much better way to communicate than words. So Karna acted and in one quick movement, dragged Arjuna close and held him tight to his chest.

"Juna," Karna murmured into Arjuna's ear as his brother yelped and struggled. "Juna. Juna." Karna just held him close, refusing to let go as he murmured that silly, truncated name over and over. Arjuna quickly broke down and started to sob into his chest, harsh, rasping sobs. "I would never dishonor my little brother with pity," Karna murmured, gently stroking black hair. It was so soft under his fingers, so fine yet so thick. "This is only regret, for the harm I have caused you." Karna realized now that he wanted to do something to make it better, to relieve Arjuna of this weight. This was what the Divine Spirit had wanted him to realize.

Karna held Arjuna until he had cried himself out, until his brother was limp and breathing shallowly. Then Arjuna pulled away and Karna let him go, watching as Arjuna scrubbed his face with one hand. His eyes were reddened and puffy now, something Karna had never seen before. It was strange, to think there were so many aspects of Arjuna he had never seen.

"You say you don't regret your choices, yet you still regret the outcomes. How can this be?" Arjuna muttered, still rubbing his face. Karna's lips curved in a small smile.

"If I had come back with Kunti to join you all as your brother, what would you have thought?" Karna asked and Arjuna stared at him for a moment. Then he snorted softly, unwilling amusement.

"I would have wondered what evil spell mother had cast over your mind." Yes. "I see… you're right. There was no other choice to make." No. "But where do we go from here?" Arjuna seemed suddenly lost. Karna thought he understood. Negative and hurtful as it had been, their enmity had been a cornerstone of both their lives. And for Arjuna, far more than Karna. And yet…

"We can only go onwards. But I feel the lesson is that we should no longer cling to the past," Karna said, gazing at his brother. Brother, it still felt like such a strange thought. "Shall we get to know each other, Arjuna?" Rather than the cold détente they'd had until now. Arjuna looked away, gazing out over the snow covered valley. There was a brief silence before he spoke.

"It is what our mother would have wanted." Yes, that was true. "I should honor her wishes… but Karna, there is one thing." What? "It's fine from a silly chibi that could barely talk, but that ridiculous nickname is unbefitting from you. Don't call me Juna." Karna's lips curved in another small smile.

"As you wish, Arjuna," he agreed. That was a small thing and he would readily agree to it. Although Karna thought he probably would end up referring to Arjuna that way again, perhaps when his little brother needed comforting… or a prick to his ego. Karna gazed over the valley, thinking about it.

This new chapter in their lives would be an interesting one.


End file.
